# US 11,906,123 B2 · Light source module

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- Number: US 11,906,123 B2
- Document ID: US11906123B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/589,006
- Filed: 2022-01-31
- Published: 2022-05-19
- Granted: 2024-02-20
- Earliest claimed: 2019-08-01
- Assignees: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Tomoyuki Ichikawa; Norikazu Saito; Atsushi Ozawa
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11906123B2

## CPC

- F21S 41/663: by switching light sources (by switching incandescent light sources F21S41/162)
- B60Q 1/1415: {Dimming circuits}
- B62J 6/024: Switching between high and low beam (arrangement of switches B62J6/16)
- F21S 41/143: the main emission direction of the LED being parallel to the optical axis of the illuminating device
- F21S 41/148: the main emission direction of the LED being perpendicular to the optical axis
- F21S 41/192: {Details of lamp holders, terminals or connectors}
- F21S 41/25: Projection lenses
- F21S 45/47: Passive cooling, e.g. using fins, thermal conductive elements or openings
- H05B 45/30: Driver circuits
- F21S 41/151: arranged in one or more lines
- F21W 2102/13: for high-beam region or low-beam region
- F21W 2102/155: having inclined and horizontal cutoff lines
- H05B 45/3725: Switched mode power supply [SMPS]
- H05B 45/40: Details of LED load circuits
- F21S: NON-PORTABLE LIGHTING DEVICES; SYSTEMS THEREOF; VEHICLE LIGHTING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLE EXTERIORS
- B60Q: ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B62J: CYCLE SADDLES OR SEATS; AUXILIARY DEVICES OR ACCESSORIES SPECIALLY ADAPTED TO CYCLES AND NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, e.g. ARTICLE CARRIERS OR CYCLE PROTECTORS
- H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
- F21W: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES F21K, F21L, F21S and F21V, RELATING TO USES OR APPLICATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS

## Abstract

A light source module is switchable between a high beam and a low beam, and is mounted on a vehicle. A first light source is arranged such that its output light is irradiated to a low-beam region by a first optical system. A second light source is arranged such that its output light is irradiated to a high-beam region by a second optical system. A lighting circuit supplies a driving current to the first light source in response to a turn-on instruction for either the high beam or the low beam. Furthermore, the lighting circuit supplies the output current to the second light source in response to a turn-on instruction for the high beam.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A light source module for a vehicle structured to be switchable between a high beam and a low beam, the light source module comprising:
a first light source arranged such that an output light of the first light source is irradiated to a low-beam region by a first optical system;
a second light source arranged such that an output light of the second light source is irradiated to a high-beam region by a second optical system; and
a lighting circuit structured to supply a driving current to the first light source in response to any one from among a turn-on instruction for the high beam and a turn-on instruction for the low beam, and to supply the driving current to the second light source in response to the turn-on instruction for the high beam,
wherein the first light source and the second light source are coupled in series, and wherein the lighting circuit comprises:
a driving circuit structured to supply the driving current to a series connection circuit of the first light source and the second light source; and
a bypass switch arranged in parallel with the second light source, and structured to be turned off during a period in which the turn-on instruction for the high beam occurs, and to be turned on during a period in which the turn-on instruction for the low beam occurs,
wherein the driving circuit is structured to supply the driving circuit having a first amount to the series connection circuit in an on state of the bypass switch and to supply the driving circuit having a second amount which is smaller than the first amount to the series connection circuit in an off state of the bypass switch.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The light source module according to claim 1, wherein the first light source is mounted on a first face that is parallel to the ground,
wherein the second light source is mounted on a third face that is opposite to the first face,
wherein the first optical system comprises a first reflector provided to the first face side,
and wherein the second optical system comprises a second reflector provided to the third face side.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The light source module according to claim 1, wherein the first light source is mounted on a first face that is parallel to the ground,
wherein the second light source is mounted on a second face that is orthogonal to the ground,
wherein the first optical system comprises a reflective optical system,
and wherein the second optical system comprises a transmissive optical system.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The light source module according to claim 1, wherein the first light source comprises a plurality of light-emitting elements arranged adjacent to each other in a horizontal direction.

### Claim 5

A light source module for a vehicle structured to be switchable between a high beam and a low beam, the light source module comprising:
a first light source arranged such that an output light of the first light source is irradiated to a low-beam region by a first optical system;
a second light source arranged such that an output light of the second light source is irradiated to a high-beam region by a second optical system; and
a lighting circuit structured to supply a driving current to the first light source in response to any one from among a turn-on instruction for the high beam and a turn-on instruction for the low beam, and to supply the driving current to the second light source in response to the turn-on instruction for the high beam,
wherein the first light source and the second light source are coupled in series, and wherein the lighting circuit comprises:
a driving circuit structured to supply the driving current to a series connection circuit of the first light source and the second light source; and
a bypass switch arranged in parallel with the second light source, and structured to be turned off during a period in which the turn-on instruction for the high beam occurs, and to be turned on during a period in which the turn-on instruction for the low beam occurs,
wherein the first light source comprises a first semiconductor light-emitting element and a second semiconductor light-emitting element;
wherein the second light source comprises a third semiconductor light-emitting element; and
wherein the first optical system comprises:
a first lens structured to receive an output light of the first semiconductor light-emitting element so as to form a light distribution for a region below an elbow point of the low-beam region; and
a second lens structured to receive an output light of the second semiconductor light-emitting element so as to form a light distribution for a region above an elbow point of the low-beam region,
and wherein the second optical system comprises a third lens structured to receive an output light of the third semiconductor light-emitting element so as to illuminate the high-beam region.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The light source module according to claim 5, wherein the first light source comprises a plurality of light-emitting elements arranged adjacent to each other in a horizontal direction.

### Claim 7

A light source module for a vehicle structured to be switchable between a high beam and a low beam, the light source module comprising:
a first light source arranged such that an output light of the first light source is irradiated to a low-beam region by a first optical system;
a second light source arranged such that an output light of the second light source is irradiated to a high-beam region by a second optical system; and
a lighting circuit structured to supply a driving current to the first light source in response to any one from among a turn-on instruction for the high beam and a turn-on instruction for the low beam, and to supply the driving current to the second light source in response to the turn-on instruction for the high beam;
a third light source arranged such that an output light of the third light source is irradiated to the low-beam region by the first optical system,
wherein the lighting circuit is structured to supply the driving current to the third light source in response to a turn-on instruction for the low beam, and
wherein the lighting circuit comprises:
a first switch structured to turn on in response to a turn-on instruction for the low beam;
a second switch structured to turn on in response to a turn-on instruction for the high beam; and
a driving circuit structured to generate the driving current,
wherein the first light source, the third light source, and the first switch are coupled in series,
and wherein the second light source and the second switch are coupled in parallel with the third light source and the first switch.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The light source module according to claim 7, wherein the first light source and the third light source are mounted on a first face that is parallel to the ground,
wherein the second light source is mounted on a third face that is opposite to the first face,
wherein the first optical system comprises a first reflector provided on the first face side,
and wherein the second optical system comprises a second reflector provided on the third face side.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The light source module according to claim 7, wherein the first light source and the third light source are mounted on a first face that is parallel to the ground,
wherein the second light source is mounted on a second face that is orthogonal to the ground,
wherein the first optical system comprises a reflective optical system,
and wherein the second optical system comprises a transmissive optical system.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The light source module according to claim 7, wherein the first light source and the third light source comprise a plurality of light-emitting elements arranged adjacent to each other in a horizontal direction.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The light source module according to claim 7, wherein the second light source comprises a plurality of light-emitting elements arranged adjacent to each other in a horizontal direction.

### Claim 12

A light source module for a vehicle structured to be switchable between a high beam and a low beam, the light source module comprising:
a first light source for a low beam;
a first switch arranged in parallel with the first light source;
a second light source for a low beam and a second switch coupled in series with the first light source;
a third light source for a high beam and a third switch arranged in series such that they form a path that is parallel to the second light source and the second switch; and
a driving circuit structured to generate a driving current in response to any one from among the high beam turn-on instruction and the low beam turn-on instruction.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The light source module according to claim 12, further comprising a controller structured such that, in a normal state, (i) in response to the low beam turn-on instruction, the controller turns off the first switch, turn on the second switch, and turns off the third switch, and (ii) in response to the high beam turn-on instruction, the controller turns off the first switch and the second switch, and turns on the third switch.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The light source module according to claim 13, wherein, upon detecting a current cutoff state, the controller sets the first switch to an on state.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The light source module according to claim 14, wherein, when the current cutoff state continues over a predetermined first time after the first switch is set to the on state, the controller turns off the first switch.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The light source module according to claim 15, wherein the first time is 2 ms to 500 ms.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

The light source module according to claim 14, wherein, when a state in which the driving current is zero continues over a predetermined second time, the controller judges that a current cutoff state has occurred.

### Claim 18 (depends on 14)

The light source module according to claim 14, wherein, during a period in which the first switch is fixedly set to the on state, the controller turns on the second switch regardless of the high beam or the low beam turn-on instruction.

### Claim 19 (depends on 14)

The light source module according to claim 14, wherein, during a period in which the first switch is fixedly set to the on state, the controller turns on the third switch regardless of the high beam or the low beam turn-on instruction.